Diffused platform cooling holes

Abstract

A gas turbine engine component has first and second components each having a platform with an upper surface and a lower surface and with a plurality of side faces extending between the upper and lower surfaces. The platforms are arranged adjacent to one another such that one side face of the platform faces a mating side face of an adjacent platform. At least one cooling hole is formed within the platform and has an inlet to receive a cooling flow and an outlet at least at one of the side faces. The at least one cooling hole increases in size in a direction toward the outlet. A method of cooling a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas turbine engine component comprising:
 first and second components each having a platform with an upper surface and a lower surface and with a plurality of side faces extending between the upper and lower surfaces, the platforms being arranged adjacent to one another such that one side face of the platform faces a mating side face of an adjacent platform; and   at least one cooling hole formed within the platform, the at least one cooling hole having an inlet to receive a cooling flow and an outlet at least at one of side faces of the platform, and wherein the at least one cooling hole increases in size in a direction toward the outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The gas turbine engine component according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of side faces comprises a leading edge face, a trailing edge face, and pressure and suction side matefaces, and wherein the platforms are arranged adjacent to one another such that the pressure side mateface of one platform faces the suction side mateface of an adjacent platform, and wherein the outlet is in the suction side or pressure side mateface. 
     
     
         3 . The gas turbine engine component according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling hole is defined by a first cross-section at the inlet and a second cross-section at the outlet, the first cross-section being less than the second cross-section. 
     
     
         4 . The gas turbine engine component according to  claim 3 , wherein the first cross-section extends along a first length and the second cross-section extends along a second length that is different than the first length. 
     
     
         5 . The gas turbine engine component according to  claim 3 , wherein the first cross-section defines a minimum cross-sectional area for the cooling hole and the second cross-section defines a maximum cross-sectional area for the cooling hole. 
     
     
         6 . The gas turbine engine component according to  claim 3 , wherein the first cross-section extends along a first length and the second cross-section extends along a second length, and wherein the first cross-section remains generally constant along the first length. 
     
     
         7 . The gas turbine engine component according to  claim 6 , wherein the cooling hole comprises an increasing cross-sectional size as the cooling hole extends from an end of the first length to the end of the second length. 
     
     
         8 . The gas turbine engine component according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cooling hole comprises a plurality of cooling holes that each have a metering portion beginning at the inlet and a diffuser portion that terminates at the outlet. 
     
     
         9 . The gas turbine engine component according to  claim 8 , wherein the inlet receives the cooling flow from a passage formed within an associated one of the first and second airfoil components. 
     
     
         10 . The gas turbine engine component according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second components comprise airfoil or blade outer air seal components. 
     
     
         11 . A method of cooling a gas turbine engine component comprising the steps of:
 providing cooling flow to adjacent components each having a platform with an upper surface and a lower surface and with a plurality of side faces extending between the upper and lower surfaces, with the platforms being arranged adjacent to one another such that one side face of the platform faces a mating side face of an adjacent platform;   directing the cooling flow to an inlet of at least one cooling hole formed within at least one of the platforms; and   diffusing the cooling fluid through an outlet at least at one of the side faces.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one cooling hole increases in size in a direction toward the outlet. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of side faces comprises a leading edge face, a trailing edge face, and pressure and suction side matefaces, and wherein the platforms are arranged adjacent to one another such that the pressure side mateface of one platform faces the suction side mateface of an adjacent platform, and wherein the outlet is in the suction side mateface or pressure side mateface. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the cooling hole is defined by a first cross-section at the inlet and a second cross-section at the outlet, the first cross-section being less than the second cross-section. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the first cross-section extends along a first length and the second cross-section extends along a second length that is different than the first length. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the first cross-section defines a minimum cross-sectional area for the cooling hole and the second cross-section defines a maximum cross-sectional area for the cooling hole. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the first cross-section remains generally constant long the first length. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the cooling hole comprises an increasing cross-sectional size as the cooling hole extends from an end of the first length to the end of the second length. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the components comprise airfoil or blade outer air seal components.